The Dusenbury Curse

by Wolfgang Parker

A mysterious figure from the past has returned to exact revenge upon Orville Dusenbury and it's up to Jonas Shurmann and his feline partners, CatBob and Neil Higgins, to stop it. But the detectives aren't alone on the mysterious Phantom's trail. An army of enemies watches from the shadows as the heroes race to unravel the secret of a 100-year-old curse before Orville is ruined. Mysteries abound as the Chicken-Boy of Clintonville and the Crime Cats return in the second installment of this spooky mystery series.

Genres: Childrens

159 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Wolfgang Parker is the accidental author and illustrator of the "Crime Cats" children's mystery series. He wrote the first volume, "Crime Cats: Missing," as a gift for his nineteen nieces and nephews and soon found people of all ages enjoyed reading the adventures of the Chicken-Boy of Clintonville and his cat detective partners.

Wolfgang has been previously known as a music pioneer. His debut album "Hep City Swing" (1998) was the first Punk-Swing album ever recorded. After its release, his band went on to record three full-length albums, an EP, and a couple of vinyl 7" singles. Then, during a creative lull, Parker picked up a camera and his artistic journey suddenly changed direction.

The rocker spent a short stint being published as a fashion and art photographer before burning out on the grueling process. However, he walked away with love of visual storytelling rekindled.

Parker parlayed that love into a graphic novel titled "1888: Deklin Skurlock Investigation Casebook, Vol. I.," which was successfully funded by private backers via Kickstarter and is currently in production. The campaign's success spurred him to pursue writing prose while he coped with the loss of his band of nearly two decades.

Parker was voted one of Columbus' best authors in the 2015 ColumbusUnderground.com reader's poll. He currently occupies duel roles as fiction writer and singer/bassist of a new band, Weedhaven Laughing Academy--both with releases due out in 2016.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin]

If you are looking for an engaging chapter book to delight your grade-school child, you should consider The Dusenbury Curse--provided he or she is the sort who might enjoy an interesting a mystery involving a boy in a chicken suit and a large number of cats, presented with quirky humor in a (slightly) scary atmosphere.

I liked Missing, the first installment of the "Crime Cats" series, but I think I like this book more. Its characterizations are a little deeper, its canvas a little broader, and it contains some very good advice about relating to cats--and to people too--without ever getting preachy or boring. Besides--this time we find out more about the mysterious chicken-suit that enables our hero Jonas to understand the language of cats!

I have to admit, though, that my favorite part of this book is the world in which the story takes place. It is the neighborhood of Clintonville in Columbus, Ohio--where I have lived for more than thirty years--but subtly altered into a city of scary and magical surprises, like the London of Sherlock Holmes or the Baghdad of The Arabian Nights. Among other delights, the reader will encounter here a giant white feline, the skeletal remains of an old amusement park, a hooded phantom, a sinister bookstore, and--of course--more than a score of cats!

[Rosie]

Eight year old Jonas Shurmann has a special gift: he can converse with cats. As Orville Dusenbury agrees to board two superheroes, CatBob and Neil Higgins, at the Dusenbury Mansion, things start to go awry. Orville is not happy that he constantly has to clean up CatBob’s pee, but little does he realize that the feline is marking the Dusenbury Mansion to keep it safe from the evil forces at work, in the form of the White Phantom and the Phoenix. When CatBob is found unconscious on the streets by Jonas, Jonas and Orville make their way to the old amusement park nearby, but what they find chills them to the very core.

Wolfgang Parker’s incredible tale of deceit, mystery and action are perfectly balanced in this second installment of the Crime Cats series. Each of the character plots are clearly set out, showing their relationship to all others in the story. I could not help but chuckle each time new cats heard Jonas speak for the very first time, utterly shocked and in disbelief that any human could understand them, let alone be understood. The curse, which goes back over 100 years, is well-written and quite believable, not to mention hysterically funny in all the right places. As evidence of the curse unravels, the reader is also taken on an educated journey about felines, their behavior and beliefs, and how they interact with humans. Not only does The Dusenbury Curse deal with humor, love, hatred and superstitions, but it also teaches some valuable lessons about trust. I very much enjoyed Wolfgang Parker’s delightful tale, and recommend The Dusenbury Curse to readers aged 7-12 who enjoy their adventurous animal tales of mystery and intrigue with a side order of pure hilarity.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite

[Susan]

When Jonas wears the chicken suit his father got him, he can understand the language of cats. His two furry friends, CatBob and Neil Higgins, are staying with his human friend, Orville Dusenbury for the winter, and CatBob is behaving very oddly. So is Orville, for that matter. And there's a mysterious giant white cat living somewhere in the neighborhood who seems to be the cause of all the problems. This story also has tips and advice for caring for cats.

[Eddie]

The second in a great series. A bit creepier than the first and with the same great story writing and nice attention to historical facts.

[Heather]

I loved the first book so as soon as I found some time to myself I ate this one up. The story is a bit more far-fetched, but then again it is a book about a boy with a magic chicken costume that solves mysteries with cats. The book is peppered with things that feel like they must be from the authors life and it really adds to how wonderfully real the city of Clintonville is in the books. I especially loved the game Jonas plays in the snow. Even as an adult, I still do these things. Hopefully my dad has his old calculator (with the flip up screen) still and I can borrow it for my next adventure. I highly recommend reading Crime Cats 2, and it's predecessor. It is once again a great effort from Monsieur Parker. I can't wait for the next book!

[Bill]

Well, Wolfgang Parker has done it again. With the second installment of his Crime Cats series, The Dusenbury Curse, Mr. Parker has succeeded. It is well written with further character development from his first book, Missing. Follow along with Jonas, Neil, and Cat Bob as they work another mystery. After reading The Dusenbury Curse, I have to say it again. Cat lovers young and old will enjoy it. I know I did. I will be waiting, again, for the next installment of Crime Cats.

[Billy Buttons]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Crime Cats: The Dusenbury Curse
Author: Wolfgang Parker

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 19/10
Of the 17 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
17 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
16 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
12 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
16 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
16 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
‘A wonderfully exciting adventure for children aged 8-11.’ Female teacher, aged 36
‘This author is very good. He offers the young readers and exciting mystery, throws in a lot of exciting twists, and then ends with a ‘BANG!’ Loved it.’ Female Teaching Assistant, aged 65
‘I liked this book a lot. I liked Jonas and the two cats. They were fun characters to follow. So much happens from the first page. I want to read other books by this writer.’ Boy, aged 11
‘This author seems to know cats really well.’ Girl, aged 10
‘It’s so good that the author has given the cats a personality. I have cats at home and I know they are all different. The adventure was good and the cover was mega-cool.’ Boy, aged 11

To Sum It Up:
‘An exciting, even gripping adventure for 8 – 12 year olds. A finalist and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Literary Classics Book Awards & Reviews]

Crime Cats is an entirely entertaining chapter book series about a boy detective and his two cat friends, CatBob and Neil Higgins, with which he communicates whilst wearing an old chicken suit. In Crime Cats, The Dusenbury Curse, the second book in the series, Jonas Shurmann’s good friend, Orville, is being watched. There’s something spooky lurking outside his mansion and whatever it is has CatBob scared. He won’t leave his post at the window and he keeps spraying inside the house. With an abandoned old amusement park and a hundred-year-old curse there’s lots to keep kids mildly spooked as this suspenseful story unfolds. Recommended for home and school libraries, Crime Cats, The Dusenbury Curse has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

[Reid]

The second Crime Cats adventure exceeds the excitement of volume 1! Phantoms, mysterious figures and cats galore weave a web of fright, intrigue and love, old and new. Well done! now to pass it on to my daughter!

[Joyia]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written and amusing. I recommend this book especially to those familiar with Clintonville, Columbus and Cats

[Alan]

Enjoyably YA novel featuring a boy and his investigative cats. Longer review here: http://eyesandearsblog.blogspot.com/2...